A chara, – Róisín Ingle’s depiction of a questioning Seán Gallagher (Home News, October 3rd) suggests a very strong presidential candidate, however, that may be academic if the 34 per cent of respondents who voted for Martin McGuinness during the TV3 presidential debate are in any way representative of the electorate in general. Is it time that Fine Gael realised that the sniping may be doing more harm than good? – Is mise,
GREG SCANLON,
Ballycasey Manor,
Shannon, Co Clare.
Sir, – Martin McGuinness’s bank statements suggest the public record remains incomplete. Either that, or he lives in the dark! No utility bills in six months? Furthermore, according to Harry McGee’s (Home News, October 5th), his earnings from Stormont and Westminster are paid in full to Mr McGuinness who then transfers the funds to Sinn Féin. If that is the case, through which bank account does Mr McGuinness conduct these transactions and when can we expect to see the relevant statements? Is this the account through which he pays his utility bills?
As for Mr McGuinness’s line that failure to convict him of IRA membership since 1974 proves he had left by then; this is nothing more than a schoolboy’s smart answer. I haven’t been convicted of speeding since 2002.
Mr McGuinness, like all the other candidates, needs to be honest with us. Following years of political mismanagement, the last thing we want in this country is another politician who thinks he can pull the wool over the electorate’s eyes. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I read Miriam Lord’s article (“All aboard the election bus for the story of Mother Teresa of Dublin 8”, October 4th) regarding the launch of Gay Mitchell’s presidential campaign. I’m sure Ms Lord thought it was very clever and very funny. I thought it was very cynical and very demeaning to both Gay Mitchell and Enda Kenny.
It is typical and a much-used modern approach by many journalists who love to belittle and diminish people in public life.
I might add I’m not a supporter of Gay Mitchell but of another candidate.
I expect this letter will not have any effect in changing this negative attitude, and I doubt if you will have the courage to print it on your Letters page. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Independent presidential candidate Seán Gallagher expressed concerns, regarding the 2016 centenary celebration of the Rising, about ‘“overly glorifying” the actions of 1916, saying he would not like to see a re-enactment of what happened (in 1916) with lots of artillery or trucks parading down O’Connell Street (Home News, October 4th).
Does Mr Gallagher understand the powers vested in Uachtarán na h-Éirinn? For they include the constitutional requirement to be supreme commander of the Defence Forces (artillery, trucks etc). The same Defence Forces who brought pride and honour to our nation during the recent visit of Queen Elizabeth by their breathtaking ceremonial displays on every formal occasion they attended. What would that visit have been like without the ceremonial participation of members of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps on our behalf?
The Defence Forces have always done the nation proud, nationally and internationally, from their first overseas UN mission to the Congo in 1960 and every year thereafter. Now, this noble tradition, which was good enough for successive presidents and political administrations to allow the Defence Forces to participate in and validate various State commemorations, apparently, is not to the liking of would-be president, Mr Gallagher, nor does he wish for it in 2016.
The logical reaction by members of the Defence Forces to Mr Gallagher’s misguided attitude and, by extension, their families and friends, is not to vote for him in the upcoming election for, to do so, would be the equivalent of a turkey voting for Christmas! – Is mise,
Comdt FRANK RUSSELL,
Ret’d,
Balscaddan Road,
Howth, Co Dublin.
Sir, – During this rather entertaining presidential election campaign, are any other readers reminded of the fable The Hare and the Tortoise?Michael D Higgins is nicely cast as the tortoise. I will leave to each good reader to decide who the hare may be. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – In Antony Andrewes' book The Greeks,Herodotus, the historian of ancient European civilisation, is quoted as describing the democratic philosophy of Cleisthenes of the fifth century BC as "taking the people into partnership".
We have waited a long time to feel that there is a Cleisthenian democratic disciple among us. Thus I trust that Michael D Higgins will do himself proud in the forthcoming election. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – One evening over three years ago, as my now deceased elderly mother was walking down O’Connell Street, she slipped and fell to the ground. Some stopped and stared and others walked on but a gentleman who was passing came to her assistance and brought her to the Gresham Hotel. As she was clearly shocked but not injured he called me to come and collect her. He stayed with her, buying her tea and ensuring she was safe until I arrived.
I had never met him before or since but he is a thoroughly decent gentleman who waived off my thanks on the night.
That is why I am voting for David Norris. – Yours, etc,
ANNE O’CONNOR,
Vico Road, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
A chara, – Let’s be fair about Martin McGuinness. He joined the IRA, as did hundreds in the late 1960s/early 1970s when the Catholics were being attacked by Orange paramilitaries, who were undeterred, to say the least, by the Northern Ireland police force.
What were the young men of the six counties supposed to do? Stand idly by while women and children ran screaming out of burning houses? Remember also, that Mr McGuinness has been voted into the Northern parliament by the Irish people of Mid Ulster, was minister of education and deputy first minister. Not a bad CV. – Is mise,
BRIAN Ó BAOILL,
Indreabhán, Co na Gaillimhe.
Sir, – So Martin McGuinness thinks he has risked his life through his role in the peace process (October 5th) – in contrast, I suppose, to the more than 500 people killed by the Provisional IRA during the years that he admits to having been a member. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Based on the P60 information and other details published by Mary Davis, she enjoyed a 13 per cent salary increase between 2008 (€138,000) and 2010 (€156,000), plus fees from State boards of (€185,000) during the same period. This at a time when many thousands of her fellow citizens were made redundant, or forced to emigrate.
Those fortunate enough to remain employed endured severe pay cuts and significant tax increases, as the economy and banking sector continued to collapse. Leadership, fairness, equality, respect? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Good words also require good deeds – this has been shown by the actions of the outgoing President who, over her two terms in office, did so much deserve the respect of so many different people who belong on this island.
She deserves to be remembered well for this. It is to be hoped that, whoever wins the presidential election, they will match this record by, among other possible things, refusing to acquiesce in crimes committed recently and longer ago – that is, it is to be hoped that the president will declare to the Garda anything they know that might lead to prosecution and possible conviction of anyone who has committed crimes in this jurisdiction or elsewhere. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I wish to propose a new idea for the autumn viewing schedule for RTÉ: Celebrity Uachtarán, a new format reality TV show, where seven candidates for the presidency all reside together in Áras an Uachtaráin, with hidden cameras tracking their day. The viewers can watch and evict the candidates as they wish. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Since we seem intent on dredging through the past misdemeanours of the presidential candidates in order to diminish their candidacy, I want to know, from the other six, if any of them ever attended a Dana concert. – Yours, etc,